New Success Center: Listening to students’ needs
Finding help with the stresses and problems of student life just got a little easier because of changes recently made to UCC’s former tutoring lab. The name change reflects the center’s new, broader scope.
The Director of Learning Skills, Terrance Bradford, said the changes came as a direct result of “simply listening to students.” The Success Center now offers help with everything from time management skills to academic success plan development and help with online classes. It still offers individual tutoring. In addition, financial aid and baby sitting issues are addressed.
Bradford actually listened to what students were saying to one another in conversation at the tutoring tables to come up with his plan for making the Center more student-success oriented. His plan worked. “We have been able to more than double our tutoring hours compared to years past, despite declining enrollment through repeat visits.”
“A huge thing is that [the Center] is completely student-run,” said Bradford. There’s a student production assistant, students manage the tutoring schedules and student staff members meet with people in the community, attend conferences, and make presentations about their services.
The Success Center is also larger now. This year the room opened space to create a more welcoming environment. In fact, the Center may need to expand again. “It is packed and we have outgrown. We are looking for other options to expand,” Bradford said.
Bradford’s goal, he says, is that UCC students feel valued. “I want students to feel as if they matter, because if they feel they matter, they will come back.” He said students who utilize the Success Center may be more motivated to succeed academically and in life.
Thomas Brock, an expert at The Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, encourages group education like that used in the Success Center. “Learning communities increase the likelihood that students will pass a targeted course like developmental English or mathematics and earn more credits during the semester that students are enrolled in learning communities.”
Luciana Bisagna, an Administrative Services student, uses the Success Center. “It has been a tremendous help. The tutors are awesome, everyone is helpful and positive.” Bisagna says she does not have a computer at home and being able to access the available computers in the Success Center has been very helpful.
Bisagna advises students struggling in classes to establish a support system like those in the Center. “Study groups with class mates and having time together really helps,” said Bisagna. She also suggested exchanging phone numbers with peers when possible.
Transfer Student Trevor Hernandez agrees. “I am able to get all my questions answered for all I’ve needed to know,” said Hernandez. Students can access tutoring help Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.